Door fastener



Aug. 28, 1934. H FUCHS 1,971,401

DOOR FASTENER Filed oct. zo. 1952 2 sheets-sheet 1 73 :Il: Q@ t, 77 L@ :111 Q:

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Aug. 28, 1934.

H. FUCHS DOOR FASTENER 2 Sheets-Shale?. 2

Filed 001'.. 20. 1932 Fig. 7

Inventor Patented Aug. 28, 1934 N UNITED STATES lPATENT ortica 1,971,401 Doon FASTENER Delaware Application October 20, 1932, Serial No. 638,689

sf claims. (Creez- 241) This invention relates to improvements in fasteners for forcing doors open or closed, especially adapted for use in connection with hinged doors` of'cold storage containers, such as refrigerator trucks, railway cars, `and the like.

One object of the invention is'to provide a door fastener ofsimple design and powerful action, which may be cheaplyand economically Amanufactured.` A Y 'l Y A Another objectof the invention isto provide a device of the character described in the preceding paragraph, which is especially adapted for use in connection with a hinged door, wherein the opening andclosing operations of the door are performed by the manipulation of a lever so designed that the attendant may use the lever as a hand grip in swinging the door fully open.

V `A more" specic object of the invention is to provide a doorfastener of the lever-actuated type, wherein keeper-engaging means eccentric to the pivot of the lever cooperates with a keeper so designed that a swinging movement of the lever through an arc of 90 degrees or less will effectively openor close the door. 4

Other objects of the'invention will more clearly appear `from the description and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawings, forming a part of this speciiication, Figure 1 is a front elevational View, partly broken away, of a wall and hinged door of a cold storage container, illustrating my improved door fastener in connection therewith. Figure 2 `is an elevational view, on an enlarged scale, of 'the improveddoor fastener shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View,.correspond ing substantially to the line 3 3 of Figure 2. Fig- `ure 4 is aside elevational View of the door fastener shown in Figure 2, looking toward theleft in said figure. Figure 5 is a Vertical sectional view, `corresponding substantially to the line 5-5 of Figure 2. `Figure 6 isa viewv similar to Figure 4, showing the operating lever in dotted lines and in substantially horizontal position.` Figure 'l is a View similar to Figure 2, showing another embodiment of the invention. Figure 8 isa vertical sectional View, corresponding to the line 8-.-8 of Figure 7. And Figure 9 is a side elevational View oi" theiastener illustrated in Figure 1, looking to- .ward the left in said figure, Figure 9 also showing in dotted linesanother position of the operating lever. i Y

In said drawings, 10 designates the side wall `cfa cold storage container, and 11 a hinged door, which cooperates with a door opening 12. The door `11 is swingingly supported by a pair of hinges 13-13 and is adapted to enter the door opening 12. The interengaging faces of the door and door frame are beveled in the usual manner and are preferably provided with insulation.

My improved door fastener, as shown in Figures 1 to 6 inclusive, comprises a keeper A, a supporting bracket B, and an operating lever C.

The supporting bracket B comprises 'a flat platelike section 14 and an outstanding guide portion 15, the platelike section being secured to the outer face oi the door 11, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2. VThe guide portion 15 comprises spaced side walls 16e-16 and an upper end wall 17. The bottom ofthe bracket B is closed by a back plate 1B, which is held in place when the bracket B is secured to the door. The wall 17 of the bracket B is preferably inclined, as clearly shown in Figures 3, 4, and 5. Each wail 16 of the bracket B is provided with communieating slots 19 and 20.' As most clearly shown in Figures 3,4, and 5, the slot 19 extends vertically and is preferably parallel to the outer surface of the door 11. The slot 20 isper- `pendicular to the slot 19 and intersects the same, as clearly shown inFiguresS', 4, and 5, thereby providing in effect with the slot 19 an L-shaped guideway. The slot 19 of the left-hand Wall of the bracket B, as viewedn Figure 2, extends entirely through said wall for a purpose hereinafter pointed out. Y Y

The operating lever C is of the shape shown in Figure 3 so as to provide a hand grip portion 21. At the inner end, the lever C is provided with oppositely projecting, aligned trunnions 22 and 23. The trunnions 22 and 23 are guided respectively in the slots 19--19 of the walls 16-1'6 of the bracket B. The trunnion 23 is of greater length than the trunnion 22 and projects outwardly beyond the corresponding side Wall 16 of the bracket B so as to serve as a keeper-en- 'gaging member cooperating with the keeper A. Inwardly of the trunnions 22 and 23, the lever is provided with a second pair oftransversely aligned trunnions 2li- 24, whichfengage within the slots20-20 of the side walls 16-15 ofthe bracket B. At the bottoniy the casting forming the projection 15 oi the bracket B is provided with a depending lug 25,-which serves as a limiting shoulder in connection with means for holding the lever in locked position. The lever C has `a web portion 26 provided with an opening 27 adapted to receive a locking element which cooperates with Vthe shoulder of the web 25 to prevent unauthorized manipulation of the lever C.

The keeper A comprises a platelike section 28 and an upstanding portion 29 which has a cam slot 30 adapted to receive the projecting portion of the trunnion 23 of the lever C. The keeper is secured to the door frame by means of the platelike section 28, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2. The cam slot 30 is inclined with respect to the side wall 10 of the container and is preferably disposed at approximately an angle of 45 degrees to said wall.

In opening the door, the operation is as follows: The lever C is swung away from the door and upwardly, thus causing the trunnions Zai-24 to travel outwardly in the slots 20-2() of the bracket B while the trunnions 22 and 23 are guided in the slots 19-19, thus causing the keeper-engaging portion of the trunnion 23 to travel in a path. parallel to the outer surface of the door 11. During the traveling movement of the keeperengaging trunnion 23 in a path parallel to the outer surface of the door 11, the door will be forced partly open due to the end portion of the trunnion 23 being guided in the inclined cam slot 30 of the keeper A. When the lever C has been swung to the dotted line position shown in Figure 6, that is, to a position substantially perpendicular to the door, the trunnions 22 and 23 are in substantial, horizontal alignment with the trunnions 24-24. When the trunnions are in this position, the keeper-engaging end portion of the trunnion 23 will clear the walls of the cam slot 30 of the keeper A so that the door may be swung fully open by pulling outwardly on the lever C. In closing the door, the same is swung inwardly to a position where the outer end of the trunnion 23 of the lever C will enter the cam slot 30 of the keeper A with the operating lever C in the horizontal position shown in Figure 6. After the end of the trunnin 23 has been entered within the slot 30, the lever C is swung downwardly toward the door, thereby cousing the trunnions 24-24 to be guided inwardly along the guide slots 20-20 of the bracket B and the trunnions 22 and 23 to be guided vertically in the guide slots 19-19 while the outer end of the trunnion 23 travels along the cam slot 30 of the keeper A. Due to the inclination of the cam slot 30, the door 1l will be forced tightly into the door opening 12. When the lever is in the pendent position shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 with the door closed, the parts may be securely locked by passing a sealing and locking element through the opening 27 of the lever C.

Referring next to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures "I, 8, and 9, my improved door fastener comprises a supporting bracket D secured to the door 111, an operating lever E guided by the bracket D, and a keeper F secured to the wall 110 of the container adjacent to the edge of the door 111.

The supporting bracket D is substantially the same as the bracket B hereinbefore described, and has an outstanding guide projection 115 provided with spaced side walls 116-116. Each wall is provided with a horizontal slot 120 and a vertical slot 119, the slot 120 being perpendicular to the slot 119. As most clearly shown in Figures 8 and 9, the slot 119 extends beyond the opposite sides of the slot 120, thereby forming with the slot 120 a substantially T-shaped guideway. They T-shaped guideways of the two walls 11S-116 of the supporting bracket D are in transverse alignment.

The operating lever E has a pair of Voppositely extending, transversely aligned trunnions 122 and 123 at the outer end thereof. The trunnion 123 corresponds to the trunnion 23 hereinbefore described and operates in a similar manner. The trunnions 122 and 123 are guided for movement in the slots 119-119 of the bracket D. Inwardly of the trunnions 122 and 123, the lever E has a second pair of transversely aligned trunnions 124-124, which are guided in the slots 120--120 0f the bracket D. The right-hand trunnion 124, as shown in Figure 7, extends entirely through the wall 116 and is thus guided in the proper path when the trunnions 124-124 pass into the guide slots 119-119.

The keeper F is of substantially the same design as the keeper A hereinbefore described, but differs therefrom in that the cam slot thereof, which is indicated by 130, is of greater length than the cam slot 30 of the keeper A. The operating lever E is also provided with an opening 127 adapted to receive a locking element, which cooperates with a shoulder on a lug 125 at the bottom of the bracket D.

In opening the door, the operating lever E is swung upwardly and away from the door, thereby causing the trunnions 122 and 123 to travel in the slots 119--119 of the bracket D while the trunnions 124-124 are guided in the slots 12D- 120. When the lever` E reaches the dotted line position shown in Figure 9, the trunnions 122 and123 will have traveled half the length of the slots 119-119. When the lever is swung upwardly beyond the dotted line position shown in Figure 9, the trunnions 122 and 123 will travel downwardly in the slots 119-119, and when the lever reaches a substantially vertical position, the trunnions 122 and 123 will have reached the lower ends of the slots ll9-1l9. When the trunnions 122 and 123 have reached the last named position, the trunnion 123 will also have reached the outer end of the cam slot 130 of the keeper F and the door may be pulled open without interference due to the trunnion 123 engaging the walls of the cam slot 130 of the keeper F.

In closing the door, the operation is substantially the reverse of that just described. The trunnion 123 is engaged within the cam slot 130 of the keeper F while the lever is held in a vertical position. After the trunnion 123 has been engaged within the cam slot of the keeper, the lever is swung downwardly to the position shown in Figures 8 and 9, thereby causing the trunnion 123 to travel upwardly parallel to the face of the door while traveling in the inclined cam slot 130 of the keeper. The door is thus forced tightly into the door opening by the downward swinging movement of the lever E. When the door has been closed, the same may be locked by passing a sealing member through the opening 12'7 of the lever E.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, but the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In door fastening means cooperating with a xed slotted keeper, the combination with a lever having a pair of spaced lugs thereon; of a combined support and guide bracket having communicating guideways disposed at an angle to Aeach other, one of said guideways being inclined with respect to the slot of the keeper, said lugs of the lever being respectively engaged in said SlldGWayS and 011 Cf Said lugs having a keeperengaging portion adapted to engage within the slot of the keeper.

2. In door fastening means adapted to cooperate with a xed slotted keeper, the combination with a lever having a pvot member thereon and a keeper-engaging member spaced from said pivot member, said keeper-engaging member being engageable within the slot of the keeper; of a combined support and guide bracket for said lever, said bracket having means thereon for guiding said pivot member and keeper-engaging member for movement in paths having different directions and guiding said keeper-engaging member in a path at an angle to the slot of the keeper,

3. In door fastening means adapted to cooperate with a iixed keeper having a cam slot therein,

the combination with a lever having spaced lugs thereon; of a combined support and guide meinber for said lever, said support having a guideway for each lug, said guideways extending angularly with respect to each other, one of said lugs projecting outwardly of said guide member and being engageable within the cam slot of the keeper, the guideway in which said lugV is movable being inclined with respect to the cam slot of the keeper.

4. In door fastening means adapted to cooperate with a keeper having a camway therein, the

combination with a lever having spaced trunnionsY thereon; of a support having guideways perpendicular to each other, one of said guideways being inclined to the camway of the keeper, one of said trunnions being movable in one of said guideways and the other trunnion being movable in the remaining guideway and projecting therefrom to engage within the camway of the keeper.

5. In door fastening means adapted to cooperate with a keeper having a camway therein, the

combination with an operating lever; of a keeper- Y engaging lug at one end of said operating lever; a second lug on said lever spaced inwardly from said rst named lug; and a supporting bracket having a pair of intersecting guide slots therein, within which said lugs are respectively guided, said slots together deiining an L-shaped guideway and one of said slots being inclined with respect to the camway of the keeper.

6. In fastening means for a swinging door adapted to cooperate with fixed keeper means on the door frame, wherein the keeper means is provided with an inclined slot, the combination with a supporting bracket xed to the door, said bracket having a guideway parallel to said door and a guideway intersecting said first named guideway and perpendicular thereto; of an operating lever having a keeper-engaging trunnion at its inner end movable in said first named guide- Way and engageable within the slot of the keeper, said lever having a second trunnion spaced inwardly from said keeper-engaging trunnion, said second named trunnion being movable in said perpendicular guideway.

7. In fastening means for a swinging door, which operating means is adapted to cooperate with a iixed keeper having a slot inclined with respect to the plane of the door when closed, the combination with a bracket fixed to the door, said bracket having communicating guideways, one of said guideways being disposed parallel to the plane of the door and the other perpendicular to the door; of a lever having a trunnion at-its inner end movable in the guideway which is parallel. to the door, said trunnion projecting outwardly of the bracket and being engageable within the guide slot of said keeper; and a second trunnion on said lever inwardly of the iirst named trunnion and working in the guideway of the bracket which is perpendicular to the door.

8. In fastening means for a swinging door, which operating means is adapted to engage with a iixed keeper having aslot inclined with respect to the plane of the door when closed, the combination with a supporting bracket fixed to the door, said supporting bracket having spaced walls; of a set of transversely aligned guideways in said walls; a second set of transversely aligned guideways in said walls disposed substantially perpendicular to Said rst named guideways and communicating with the same; and a lever disposed between said walls, said lever having a pair of oppositely projecting, transversely aligned trunnions at its inner end engaged in said iirst named set of guideways, one of said trunnions projecting laterally outwardly of the bracket and being engageable within the slot of the keeper, said lever having a second pair of oppositely projecting, transversely aligned trunnions inwardly of said rst named pair of trunnions, said second named trunnions being slidable in the second set of guideways. i

HENRY FUCHS. 

